The Iteso Cultural Union (ICU) says the Emorimor coronation marathon slated for October 18 in Bukedea District, is among the activities that have been lined up to create a fund to educate needy, bright students in the region.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign last Friday, Mr Abdallah Ochogia, the director of planning and strategic partnerships at ICU, said the marathon is one of the activities which the union development foundation has identified to raise Shs800m to sponsor 100 students in different tertiary institutions.
He added that President Museveni has already given them five scholarships valued at Shs1 billion for training five pilots.
‘The President has already given us five scholarships valued at Shs1 billion for training five pilots and we are still identifying them. We are looking for Shs800m to sponsor bright but needy students in different tertiary institutions. That is why we have organised the Emorimor third coronation anniversary marathon,’ he said.
Mr Calvin Echodu, the newly elected NRM Central Executive Committee vice chairman for eastern Uganda, who also officiated as the chief guest during the launch of the event, welcomed the initiative, saying the fund will foster unity .
He said as someone who has been involved in the education sector for a long time, it is the most important wealth that any community should create for it to develop.
Citing Switzerland and the DR Congo, he said Switzerland which doesn’t have any minerals, is richer than DR Congo which is rich in minerals because of knowledge acquired through education and Iteso must learn to put energy in things which develop rather than divides them.
‘The history for Teso evolved from Karamoja when they stopped nomadism and started mixed farming. We need to keep evolving and discard certain practices. If a culture doesn’t evolve, it will die, if it doesn’t die, it will kill its people. I see education uniting all of us, Africa is backward because of lack of knowledge, education will take us to another level,’ he said.
Paul Sande Emolot Etomeileng, the Emorimor Papa Iteso, who hosted the breakfast at the Sheraton Hotel told the guests who attended the launch that unlike the past where land, labour and capital were considered as the most important factors of production, today, education is the most important of them all.
‘There is no country which can compete in the world today without massive investment in education. We must ensure that all our children have quality education for them to be competitive in the world. I have been in this institution for 23 years, it is only education which can give Teso a chance to return to its former glory,’ he said.
During the launch, a total of Shs155m was raised in cash and pledges. The rest is expected to be raised from the sale of the marathon kits and sponsorships.
If all happens as planned, Teso region will be joining the West Nile region, where professionals hailing from the region, established the West Nile Education Trust fund which has funded education of hundreds of needy and bright science students.
Every last Friday of the month, the professionals gather in a night club in Ntinda a city suburb to dance Lingala.
The gate collections together with other initiatives such as corporate dinners and marathons, is what has funded the education of hundreds of highly needed but scarce engineering, medical and other essential science professionals whom have been retained to serve within their home districts, while others are serving in other parts of the country.